Package



Sept 9, 1969 o. R. TITCHENAI. ETAL 3,465,876

PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 8, 1964 wlufiwl |..T

Sept. 9, 1969 o. R. 'rl'rcHENAL ETAL 3,465,875

PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 8. 1964 @NM1 I w pi www United States Patent O 3,465,876 PACKAGE Oliver R. Titchenal, Upper Saddle River, NJ., Fred Jark, Blauvelt, N.Y., William S. Coombes, Somerset, Mass., and Walter Ruf, Spring Valley, N.Y., assignors to St. Regis Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application Oct. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 402,483, now Patent No. 3,383,825, dated May 21, 1968. Divided and this application Sept. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 688,285 Int. Cl. B65d 71/00, 65/00, 75/00 U.S. Cl. 206-65 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a package comprising a plurality of individual packets arrayed in proximate touching relation to define a cellular bundle and compressed under forces acting along the various dimensions of the bundle; a novel flexible overwrap is provided about the bundle for maintaining the packages in the touching and compressed states and has joined edges sealing the bundle at least on one side of the bundle.

This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 402,483, led Oct. 8, 1964, now U.S. Patent No. 3,383,825.

The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to the packaging of a plurality of items by suitably applying 'a single-ply wrapping sheet tightly about the items to be packaged so as to form a novel tight-Wrapped single-ply shipping container or package wherein the packaged items are formed into a selfsupporting, cellular, unitized structure.

Heretofore, problems have been encountered in packaging together a plurality of items such as frozen food containers, our or sugar packets and the like. It will be understood that for such items to be suitably wrapped by a sheet of exible material for shipping, the items must be compressed together prior to wrapping to form a compact unit. Any play or looseness of adjacent packages results in damage 4to the package and/or its contents. However, items such as the frozen food containers tend to vary in dimensions depending upon the particular contents of the package. Accordingly, when a plurality of these frozen food containers are collected as is done conventionally prior to wrapping with an outer exible Wrapping sheet and they 'are then Wrapped by conventional methods and apparatus, the results have proved unsatisfactory. This was due to the variation in dimension of the packages when collected. Since the fixed wrapping elements of the conventional wrapping machine must be set to the largest probable package grouping, some play or looseness is left between adjacent containers in' the wrapped package, as a result of which the Wrapped package 'and its contents are substantially `damaged during storage and shipping. Accordingly, frozen food containers are normally shipped in rigid corrugated-board containers even though this method of packaging is costly.

Similar problems are encountered with the wrapping of flour or sugar packets together for storage 'and shipping. These items, because of the nature of the material, when compressed tend to take the shape of their particular container or bag. However, since our, sugar and the like tend to settle differently package-to-package or batchto-batch, attempts to tightly wrap and ship these items in flexible outer wraps, such as bags, have also been unsuccessful since, employing conventional wrapping methods and apparatus with its ixed wrapping elements,

Patented Sept. 9, 1969 ICC must be compressed when it is desired to wrap them into a tight larger package. Likewise, in packaging groups of small bags of flour or sugar and the like, because of different conditions and different degrees of settling, the group as a whole cannot very well be compressed to a pre-determined size and thus tightly wrapped.

The present invention provides the solution by providing mechanism to compress the items to be packaged to a variable dimension or sensed dimension corresponding to a pre-determined compressive force to form the items into a self-supporting cellular structure and maintaining the items in such self-supporting cellular structure while wrapping a single-ply sheet of flexible wrapping material such as paper thereabout. Likewise to form and `wrap such sheet properly about the compressed items, the positions of the wrapping material and the Wrapping and securing elements of the machine are also adjusted relative to the line of travel of the items in the wrapping machine in response to the sensed compressed dimension. Thus there is achieved, by means of the present invention, a novel, tightly-wrapped single-ply shipping container for items which have been formed into a selfsupporting cellular unitized structure.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, the complete package comprises a novel shipping container of a plurality of individual packages precompressed together to form a self-supporting, cellular, unitized structure and having tightly wrapped thereabout a sheet of single-ply flexible material. The novel container of the present invention is less costly than either corrugated board boxes or pre-formed bags and, in fact, due to `the self-supporting unitized cellular configuration of the contents thereof, is more desirable since the contents thereof survive storage and shipping, arriving at their destination in better condition than heretofore.

yFurther objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, but are not restrictive of the invention.

Of the drawings illustrating by way of example, preferred embodiments of the invention wherein like numerals designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the successive steps in the wrapping operations of the machine of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a suitable wrapping sheet blank which may be employed with the present invention;

FIG. 2a is a side elevation of the partially Wrapped package, illustrating the side seal arrangement;

FIG. 2b is an end elevation of the completed package, illustrating the end seal arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the wrapping machine at the start of the wrapping operation.

General description A preferred form of blank W, in accordance with this invention, is represented in FIG. 2 which includes three main panels 368, 370 and 372, side aps 34, 36, 38, 40, 46, and 48, and end ilaps 102 and 108, these panels and iiaps being separated from each other by imaginary fold lines along which the blank will be subsequently folded to form the package as described hereinbefore. To achieve the desired side seals that are shown in FIG. 2a, side aps 46 and 48 of blank W are additionally provided with a pair of slits 376 and 374, respectively, which defined engaging tabs 46A, 48A, and which are parallel to but spaced away from adjacent imaginary line 371 which separates panel 370 from panel 368 and extend from the edges of the flaps almost to the imaginary lines separating the flaps from panel 368. End ap 108 is also provided with a similar pair of spaced slits 382 to define engaging tab'108A and to thus produce the desired end seal shown in FIG. 2b. As shown, slits 382 are spaced similarly to end flaps 374 and 376 but in the opposite direction. By means of these two pairs of slits 347, 376 and 382 and applying the pattern of adhesive that is represented in FIG. 2 by the dotted lines to flaps 46, 48 and 108, it is possible to provide a package having side seals such as are represented in FIG. 2a and end seals such as is represented in FIG. 2b in which the aps 46, 48 and 108 are each adhered to two underlying flaps, thereby increasing the strength of such seal. Specifically, the slits 374, 376, and 382, define underportions which are tucked under the engaging tabs 46A, 48A and 108A to permit the margin portions of the engaging tabs to simultaneously adhere to the mentioned underlying aps.

Suitable machines and methods for producing the complete package of of this invention is described in our parent'application Ser. No. 402,483, now U.S. Patent No. 3,3 83,825. In accordance with one form of the present invention a plurality of packages are compressed sideways under a predetermined pressure between a cylinderactuated pressure plate and a back-up plate at receiving station S. The pressure plate (not shown) compresses the plurality of packages until it exerts a pre-determined force on such packages. The amount of travel of such pressure plate, and thus the width of the wrapped package, will vary, of course, depending on the nature of the items being compressed. When this pre-determined force has been exerted by the pressure plate, a second cylinderactuated pusher plate 24, disposed at right angles to the pressure plate, then is activated to push the group of compressed packages through the first section F of the wrapping machine and against a vertically-suspended wrapping sheet W, so that the sheet folds around the group in a generally U-shaped configuration. As the pusher plate 24 continues to advance, the group of packages is advanced between suitable adhesive applying means 50 and 52 and fiap-folding means, whereby ap portions of the wrapping sheet which extend outwardly on either side of the group are folding into sealing contact with the side walls thereof as by means of pressure rollers 58 and 60. Upon further advance of the pusher plate, the group of packages is adapted to be compressed lengthwise between the pusher plate and a back-up plate located at a transfer station T. Upon completion of the lengthwise compression step F, a transfer cylinder and associated plate 76 are actuated to push the partiallywrapped group of packages at right angles to their original path into the second wrapping section G of the machine, whereupon suitable adhesive applying means 110 and flap folding means are adapted to fold the flap portions of the wrapper sheet which extend rearwardly of the group, into sealing contact with the rear wall thereof as by means of pressure roller 116 to complete the package 8, which is conveyed to delivery station D in section G.

As described generally hereinbefore, packages P at station S are compressed by the predetermined force by means of a pressure plate 18. Plate 18 is mounted for movement on the end of rod 16 of master cylinder 14, as seen in FIG. 3.

Cooperating with pressure plate 18 on the other side of station S is a back-up plate 130 adapted to provide the stationary force against which movable plate 18 compresses the packages P. Back-up plate is also mounted on the free end of a piston rod 132 of air actuated cylinder 134. Air cylinder 134 is normally actuated by air under pressure to about the selected pressure to be used in actuating cylinder 14. Thus, back-up plate 130 exerts an almost equal and opposite resistance force to plate 18 assuring proper compression of the packages P when cylinder 14 is actuated.

Blanks W are preferably individually fed by the machine operator from a storage rack (not shown). The sheets are individually fed into a receiving trough (not shown) and then into a carrier frame 218 disposed in the path of travel of packages P as they advance from station S to wrapping section F. As shown in FIG. 3, frame 218 is provided with an appropriate opening or window 222 therein to permit passage therethrough of the compressed packages P and against blank W. Frame 218 is supported at its lowermost end on spaced rollers 220 and secured to the upper stretch of an endless crossed cable 226 by means of brackets 225. Cable 226, in turn, is supported at each end of a pulley 228 and 230. Cable 226 is fixed to pulley 230 so that rotation of pulley 230 travels the upper stretch of cable 226 back or forth, thereby moving frame 218 on rollers laterally. Thus, frame 218, may be adjusted laterally so that blank W will be evenly distributed about packages P.

Preferably, frame 218 and blank W are so dirnensioned that equal portions of blank W are disposed above and below window 222. This insures that when blank W is draped about package P advanced therepass, an even U-shaped fold is made thereabout. To accomplish this, frame 218 is provided with a pair of upper and lower rollers 232 and 234 mounted in suitable bearing in accommodating opening 236 and 238 respectively for engagement with a blank W in frame 218.

Upper rollers 232 are connected together by means of a cross-shaft 240 which lower rollers 234 are joined together for common rotation by cross shaft 242. Shafts 240 and 242 are provided at one end thereof with a suitable sheave 244 and 246 respectively interconnected by cross-drive belt 248. In operation as blank W is being draped about packages P as they advance through window 222, the blank W rotates upper and lower rollers 232 and 234 in contact therewith. Since rollers 232 and 234 are in driving interconnection by means of sheaves 244 and 246 and belt 248, these rollers are rotated in synchronism to insure uniform feed-out of blank W through window 222 and about packages P.

During the entire travel of the packages through the wrapping machine, the original compression of the packaged items is maintained. Thus, as the package passes through the folding and sealing portions of the machine, the packages pass between side members spaced apart the same distance as the compressed width of the packages. Likewise, the compressed packages pass beneath biased top members maintain compressive force on the packages in a vertical direction also, during wrapping thereof in such manner, the finished package 8 comprises a plurality of self-Supporting packets P precompressed into a cellular, unitized structure and covered by a tightlywrapped, single-ply sheet of wrapping material W, suitably folded and adhered thereabout.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite package comprising a plurality of individual packets arrayed in contiguous side-by-side relationship to define a cellular Ibundle and compressed parallel to at least two adjoining sides defining a corner of the bundle, and a flexible overwrap maintaining said packets in said compressed contiguous relationship and having joined edges sealing the bundle at least at one of the said adjoining sides, said joined edges comprising three overlapped flaps adhered to one another and extending from said corner and the adjoining top and bottom of said sealed side respectively, the outermost of said overlapped flaps having underportion and engaging tab sections deiined by a slit extending inward from the outer edge and spaced from said corner, the underportion section being positioned under an associated tab section to permit the margin portions of said tab to simultaneously adhere to the other of said overlapped iiaps thereby sealing said overwrap to preserve the integrity of the package and to resist said forces acting in proximity to said corner. 1

2. A package as in claim 1 wherein said overwrap comprises a single-ply flexible wrapping material.

3. A package as in claim 1 wherein one of said aps extends from said corner and the other of said three flaps extends across and from the top and ybottom respectively of said sealed side, the bottom ap overlapping said one flap and the top iiap overlapping both said one and bottom flap.

4. A package as in claim 3 wherein said bottom iiap has an end folded over to partially expose said one iiap to said top iiap.

5. A package as in claim 4 wherein said top flap adheres to said bottom tiap across substantially the length they `extend along said sealed side of said package.

6. A composite package comprising a plurality of individual packets arrayed in proximate contiguous relation to define a cellular bundle and compressed under orthogonal forces acting around three adjoining sides of said bundle which deiine two adjacent corners of said bundle, and a flexible overwrap maintaining said packets in said contiguous compressed condition and having joined edges sealing the bundle at least at the middle side of said three adjoining sides, said joined edges comprising two side flaps, each extending around one of said two adjacent corners, and two flaps extending across and from the top and bottom of said middle side, respectively, to overlap said two side flaps, the outermost of said overlapped flaps having two side underportions and an engaging tab disposed therebetween dened by two slits extending upward from the edges thereof, the two side underportions being tucked under said tab to permit the margin portions of said tab to simultaneously adhere to said two side ilaps and the remaining flap thereby sealing said overwrap to preserve the integrity of the package and to properly resist said forces acting around said two corners.

7. A package as in `claim 6 wherein said ap extending from the bottom of said middle side overlaps said two end flaps and said ilap extending from the top overlaps said bottom flap, said bottom iiap having its sides turned over to partiallyI expose said two end aps respectively to said top ilap.

8. A substantially rectangular package comprising a plurality of individual packets arrayed in contiguous relationship to define a rectangular cellular bundle and compressed along the length and width of said bundle, and a iiexible overwrap maintaining said packets in said contiguous compressed condition and having joined edges sealing the bundle at three adjoining sides thereof, the joined edges sealing the outer sides of said three adjoining sides of the bundle comprising three overlapped flaps adhered to one another and extending from the free ends of said outer sides and from and across the top and bottom of said outer sides, the overlapped ilaps of said two outer sides forming two side iiaps which extend around to the middle side of said three adjoining sides, and the joined edges of said overwrap sealing said middle side comprising said two side flaps extending from said outer sides and two aps extending from and across the top and bottom of said middle side, respectively, to overlap said two side fla-ps, the outermost of said latter overlapped aps having two side underportions and engaging tab disposed therebetween and defined by two slits extending inward vfrom the edge, the two side underportions being tucked under said tab to permit the margin portions of said tab to simultaneously adhere to the side aps and the remaining liap thereby sealing said overwrap to preserve the integrity of the package and t0 properly resist the orthogonal forces acting in the proximity of said three adjoining sides.

9. A substantially rectangular package as in claim 8 wherein the outermost fla-ps closing the outer sides of said bundle each have underportion and tab engaging sections defined by a slit extending inward from the outer edge of the ap and spaced from its free end, the underportion being tucked under said tab to permit the margin portions of said tab to simultaneously adhere to the other two of said three overlapped aps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,263,807 8/1966 Fingerhut 206-65 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 229-87 

